Release History

14 Mar 2024 Version 3.57 (Windows & Android)
  • Minor bug fix.
12 Mar 2024 Version 3.56 (Windows & Android)
  • Included 3 more board styles in FREE version.
  • Performance improvements.
  • Minor bug fixes.
20 Feb 2024 Version 3.55 (Windows & Android)
  • Major updates to English (US), French, Dutch and Norwegian vocabularies.
  • Multiple improvements to statistics: all players, including guest and AI, now have ongoing statistics; statistics can be reset via the PLAYERS menu; wins, losses and draws are shown seperately; and in-game statistics are split by player instead of by current/past games.
  • Updated icons to distinguish FREE and PRO versions through colour-coding.
  • Minor bug fixes.
24 Jan 2024 Version 3.54 (Windows & Android)
  • Improved touch sensitivity.
  • Minor changes to sound effects.
  • Statistics now show losses as well as wins (allowing draws to be inferred).
07 Jan 2024 Version 3.53 (Windows & Android)
  • Minor bug fix.
  • User interface improvements.
26 Dec 2023 Version 3.52 (Windows & Android)
  • Minor bug fix.
24 Dec 2023 Version 3.51 (Windows & Android)
  • Android FREE version implements Google's new ad consent system.
  • Update to Danish vocabulary.
  • Android version reverts to non-immersive mode (Android controls visible). Immersive-mode possibly triggered bugs in some Samsung devices.
16 Oct 2023 Version 3.50 (Windows & Android)
  • Minor user interface improvements.
  • Adjusted button sensitivity to avoid accidental triggering (e.g. when swiping).
12 Oct 2023 Version 3.49 (Windows & Android)
  • User interface improvements (better fit to screen ratio).
  • Improved compatibility with "Google Play for PC".
  • "Unplayed Tiles / Total Tiles" screen now displays grand totals.
  • Minor update to English vocabularies.
  • Android version now runs in immersive (full-screen) mode.
  • Android PRO version now requires Android 5.0 or later.
06 Apr 2023 Version 3.48 (Windows & Android)
  • Added Italian word definitions.
  • Major updates to German, Dutch, Danish and Norwegian vocabularies.
  • Minor updates to Spanish vocabularies.
  • Android app now initializes to device's default screen orientation.
28 Apr 2022 Version 3.47 (Windows & Android)
  • Major updates to German, Dutch, Danish and Norwegian vocabularies.
  • Minor updates to French and Spanish vocabularies.
  • Introduced up-front ad personalization menu (Android FREE version).
  • Changes made to Windows versions to improve backwards-compatibility with older graphics cards.
  • Minor improvements and fixes.
25 May 2021 Version 3.46 (Windows & Android)
  • Minor improvements and fixes.
13 May 2021 Version 3.45 (Windows & Android)
  • Fixed bug caused by task-switching mid-game.
  • Miscellaneous minor improvements.
10 May 2021 Version 3.44 (Windows & Android)
  • New "Teacher" option to show the best word you could have played.
  • Major updates to German and Danish vocabularies.
  • Adjusted spacing of in-game buttons and display areas.
  • Updated sound effects.
  • Named players and multi-game statistics now available in Android FREE version.
  • Pass-and-play now available in FREE version.
  • Removed option for 2 computer players (this demo-mode confused some users).
  • End-of-game tile penalties now included in player stats.
  • Added online registration for Windows PRO version.
  • Windows FREE version now includes all 10 skill levels.
  • Reduced Windows FREE trial to 5 games.
  • Minor fixes and improvements.
11 Jan 2021 Version 3.43 (Windows & Android)
  • Added "Random board style/layout" options.
  • Added "10 point penalty" option for invalid words.
  • User can now return to an active game if they exit from the NEW GAME menu.
  • Changed colour of blank tiles to help them stand out.
  • Major updates to US English and Dutch vocabularies.
  • Minor fixes and improvements.
14 Jun 2020 Version 3.42 (Windows & Android)
  • Major updates to Danish, Norwegian and Dutch vocabularies.
  • Minor updates to Italian and Swedish vocabularies.
  • Updated English definitions.
  • Penalties are now shown in the game history.
  • Transition animations sped up.
  • Tweaked difficulty levels.
  • Minor fixes and improvements.
20 Sep 2019 Version 3.41 (Windows & Android)
  • Updated to '2020' French word list.
  • FREE version now requires Android 5.0 or later (PRO's minimum remains at 4.0.4).
  • Minor fixes and improvements.
13 Sep 2019 Version 3.40 (Windows & Android)
  • Updated all vocabularies.
  • Adjusted German tile values: A, U, C, V, W and Ä are all increased by one point. This brings their values more in line with their frequency in the language.
  • Minor fixes and improvements.
07 Aug 2019 Version 3.39 (Windows & Android)
  • Updated vocabularies (especially English and Dutch).
  • Minor fixes and improvements.
24 Mar 2019 Version 3.37 (Windows & Android)
  • Updated vocabularies (mainly English and German).
  • New 'adaptive' launch icon.
  • Program now checks for updates (about once per week when program is launched).
  • Minor fixes and improvements.
22 Feb 2019 Version 3.36.1 (Windows)
  • Minor change to improve compatibility with older hardware (no need to update unless you're unable to launch the game).
14 Feb 2019 Version 3.36 (Windows & Android)
  • Users can now modify the board background and dashboard colours (see OPTIONS menu).
  • FREE version: now includes 4 board layouts.
  • FREE version: now includes 5 board styles.
  • Major updates to English, German and Danish vocabularies.
  • Tweaked the 'Subdued' and 'Incognito' styles.
  • Minor changes to board layouts 2, 3, 6 and 23.
  • Swapped layouts 4 and 7.
  • Minor adjustments to difficulty levels.
  • Windows FREE version: timer option included.
  • Miscellaneous fixes.
19 Nov 2018 Version 3.35 (Windows & Android)
  • New scrolling menu system to allow space for more options. Some settings have shifted from the start of the game to the Options menu. If upgrading from a version earlier than v3.28, settings may be reset.
  • New 'Avoid rare words' option (previously, rare words were only played when competing with the top AI).
  • New 'Instant spelling check' option (score bubble turns red if you're placing an invalid word).
  • New and much improved Dutch vocabulary.
  • Improved AI.
  • Now able to view word definitions at end of game.
  • Android FREE version: removed all in-game banner ads (at most, you'll now see just a single full-screen ad when entering and leaving a game).
  • Android FREE version: added extra advertising controls to the Options menu.
  • PRO version: increased maximum number of named players to 10.
  • PRO version: added 'Board style' to Options menu.
21 Sep 2018 Version 3.34 (Windows & Android)
  • FREE Android version now includes timer mode.
  • PRO: added 'Aqua' board style.
  • Improved graphics (icon, tiles, rack, buttons, etc).
  • Ads are now auto-muted.
  • Minor change to layout 7.
  • Miscellaneous important fixes.
17 Aug 2018 Version 3.33 (Windows & Android)
  • Updated vocabularies.
  • FREE Android version now includes all 10 skill levels.
  • Removed need for Android 'storage' permission.
  • App now requires Android 4.0.3 or later.
  • Miscellaneous important fixes.
02 Aug 2018 Version 3.32 (Windows & Android)
  • 'Penalties' option is now available in the FREE version.
  • Android 'storage' permission added for faster loading.
  • Fixed a bug affecting penalties.
  • Miscellaneous important fixes.
09 Jul 2018 Version 3.31 (Android)
  • FREE Version: 5 skill levels.
  • FREE Version: unlimited hints.
  • FREE Version: word definitions.
  • FREE Version: ads to pay for the above.
  • Updated vocabularies, especially German and Danish (now uses The Official Danish Spelling-Dictionary, 4th edition, 2012, including 8th digital update, 2017).
  • No longer need to press OK to acknowledge invalid word.
  • Miscellaneous minor improvements and fixes.
  • App now requires Android 4.0 or later.
14 Sep 2018 Version 3.30 (Windows)
  • Minor change to improve compatibility with older hardware (no need to update unless you're unable to launch the game).
11 Sep 2017 Version 3.29 (Windows)
  • Minor change to improve compatibility with older hardware (no need to update unless you're unable to launch the game).
08 Sep 2017 Version 3.28a (Windows PRO)
  • Fixes a bug that distorted the display of French word definitions. This only affected the PRO version for Windows.
04 Sep 2017 Version 3.28 (Windows & Android)
  • Increased the number of skill levels from 5 to 10.
  • Updated German and Dutch vocabularies.
  • Miscellaneous bug fixes.
28 Jul 2017 Version 3.27 (Windows & Android)
  • Added 4 more board layouts (PRO only).
  • Updated Spanish vocabulary.
  • Added on-screen exit button (for devices with non-standard hardware buttons).
  • 'Penalize Errors' is now a PRO-only option.
  • Player names are now announced at the top of the screen (when unique).
  • Other minor improvements and bug fixes.
21 Jun 2017 Version 3.26 (Windows & Android)
  • Improved AI.
  • Timer mode (PRO only).
  • Minor bug fixes.
13 May 2017 Version 3.25 (Windows & Android)
  • Updated vocabularies.
  • French word definitions (PRO only).
  • User interface improvements: easier and clearer word selection for definitions; score/tile panels flash when clicked; can now return to board after viewing stats at end of game.
10 Apr 2017 Version 3.24 (Windows & Android)
  • Improved 'Helpful' tile allocations to limit the number of duplicate letters.
  • Improved Normal AI.
  • Fixed bug preventing game from launching on some Windows PCs.
06 Apr 2017 Version 3.23 (Windows & Android)
  • Introduced 'helpful' tile allocations to ensure players always have a good mix of tiles.
  • Updated vocabularies (especially Norwegian).
20 Mar 2017 Version 3.22 (Windows & Android)
  • Updated vocabularies.
  • Adjusted AI skill levels.
  • Mobile app now requires Android 2.3 or later.
27 Feb 2017 Version 3.21 (Windows & Android)
  • Major updates to all non-English vocabularies.
  • Minor changes to UK vocabulary.
  • New 'Shady' board style (PRO only).
  • Visual improvements to menus.
  • 'New Game' menus re-arranged for quicker starts.
  • Added bingo totals to player statistics (PRO only).
  • Hints limited to 10 games in FREE Android version.
  • Adjusted AI skill levels.
  • Fixed minor bug that meant last move did not remain lit when playing with two humans (PRO only).
08 Sep 2016 Version 3.20 (Windows & Android)
  • Added Spanish and Italian menus.
14 Jul 2016 Version 3.19 (Windows & Android)
  • Minor graphical improvements, including new 'scoring' special effect.
  • Minor sound improvements, including new 'bingo' sound effect.
  • Updated vocabularies (especially Dutch).
17 May 2016 Version 3.18 (Windows & Android)
  • Minor update, fixing a bug affecting a small number of users when opening the 'New Game' menu.
11 May 2016 Version 3.17 (Windows & Android)
  • Added German menus and prompts.
  • The 'Vocab Override' switch has been re-named 'Vocabulary:Flexible' and moved next to the language button.
03 May 2016 Version 3.16 (Android PRO)
  • Minor update, fixing a 'vocab override' bug affecting a small proportion of Android PRO users.
28 Apr 2016 Version 3.15 (Windows & Android)
  • Added 4 new board layouts and modified layout 14 (what was previously layout 12).
  • Added 2 new board styles ('Demi-Dark' and 'Blotty') and made improvements to existing styles, including different colour backgrounds.
  • Added new hint modes, showing only the position of tiles (see Options menu).
  • Major updates to the French, German, Italian and Swedish vocabularies.
  • Swedish can now be played with or without inflections.
  • In Italian, you can now play J, K, W, X and Y using blanks.
  • Improved the AI, making it less predictable, and spacing out the difficulty levels more evenly.
  • Smoothed out the randomness of the starting draw to avoid long winning and losing streaks.
  • Added French menus and prompts.
  • Windows users can now create their own translations for the game's menus and prompts.
  • The default playing language now matches the system language and region.
  • Added icons to the game screen for human/computer players and the tile counter.
  • The Layout (and styles) menu is now visible in the FREE version (only one layout/style is selectable).
  • You are now able to look-up the definition of a word before deciding if you want to disallow it.
  • Bug fixed: in-game statistics page was empty when player 2 was the only named human player.
02 Mar 2016 Version 3.14 (Windows & Android)
  • Starting player is now chosen at random.
  • Various graphical improvements (e.g. new border and background for boards).
  • Fixed minor presentational bugs (overflowing/overlapping text).
05 Feb 2016 Version 3.12 (Windows & Android)
  • Crisper text.
  • Added new 'Skilled AI' player between 'Normal AI' and 'Expert AI'.
  • Fixed bug affecting old Android 2.2 devices.
16 Jan 2016 Version 3.11 (Windows & Android)
  • Improved graphics.
  • Added two new board styles ('Bling' and 'X-Ray') and tweaked existing styles.
  • Added Norwegian.
  • Added extra audiovisual feedback when selecting rack tiles.
  • Fixed word definition bug.
  • Fixed sound-clipping bug.
16 Dec 2015 Version 3.10 (Windows & Android)
  • Updated the program icon and menu background.
  • Added two new board styles ('Geometric' and 'Incognito') and tweaked existing styles.
  • Updated the English, German and Swedish vocabularies.
  • In Swedish, you can now play 'Q' and 'W' using a blank.
  • Added a counter to the 'hint' button so you can see how many hints you have left.
  • Changed the board selection menu: clicking the board now cycles you through all the board styles. As before, you can click the button below to change the layout.
  • Added a new non-exe launch method for Windows, which may help in rare cases where the game won't run.
11 Nov 2015 Version 3.09 (Windows & Android)
  • Added English word definitions (swipe word to view) - PRO version only, requires internet.
  • Added 'shockwave' visual effect for high scores.
  • Enhanced tile positioning (if nearest square is unavailable, the next best is used instead).
  • Fixed minor miscalculation in game statistics.
19 Oct 2015 Version 3.08 (Windows & Android)
  • Added 'sunbeam' visual effect for high scores.
  • Tweaked touch input sensitivity.
  • Expanded availability of the on-screen exit buttons (lansdcape mode only).
14 Oct 2015 Version 3.07 (Windows & Android)
  • Added on-screen 'exit' buttton to landscape mode (useful if playing on Windows without a keyboard).
  • Made tile dragging a little smoother.
  • Made minor code changes to fix the 'freezing' problem affecting a small proportion of devices.
24 Jun 2015 Version 3.06 (Windows & Android)
  • Added a new 'Tile Allocation' switch with two settings: 'Random', which unsurprisingly means that tiles will be allocated completely at random; and 'Balanced', which means that the computer will always try to issue a good mix of both vowels and consonants.
  • Fixed a timing bug causing slow frame rate on some devices.
  • Updated the English vocabulary.
27 Jan 2015 Version 3.05 (Windows & Android)
  • The 'Vocab Override' option now defaults to 'allowed'.
  • Tiles are no longer automatically recalled to the rack after an invalid word is played.
  • Android version now requires OpenGL 2.0 or later.
  • Improved compatibility of Windows version with some older graphics cards.
12 Jan 2015 Version 3.04 (Windows & Android)
  • Fixed rare bug causing incorrect winner to be announced.
  • Fixed jumpy board scrolling affecting some devices.
09 Jan 2015 Version 3.03 (Windows & Android)
  • Faster and smoother animations.
  • Users can now name their players.
  • Added game/player statistics.
  • Updated and improved vocabulary for all languages.
  • Added an optional 'are you ready?' prompt when passing the device from one player to another.
  • Players can now view their rack when it's not their turn.
  • Added an option to enable/disable the vocabulary override feature.
  • Improved letter spacing on high-resolution displays.
  • Menus were re-organised.
  • Game was substantially re-written to make it more stable.
  • + many other minor tweaks.
05 May 2013 Version 3.02 (Windows & Android)
  • Modified the two existing board styles ('Vibrant' and 'Subdued') and added two new ones ('Dotty' and 'Low-Glow').
  • The tiles screen now displays two statistics for each letter: the total number of tiles still to be placed on the board; and the total number of tiles at the start of play.
  • Re-organized the menus so that all gameplay options are displayed at the start of each game.
09 Apr 2013 Version 3.01 (Windows)
  • Windows version completely redesigned to match the new look and features of the Android version.
  • Fully compatible with Windows 8.
  • Game can be played full screen or in a window.
22 Mar 2013 Version 3.00 (Android)
  • Completely redesigned to run on wider range of devices and screen sizes, with a fresh, modern look and numerous new features.
  • All graphics are now full colour and high resolution, and animations are smoother.
  • Now supports boards ranging from 15x15 squares up to 21x21 (previously, all boards were 17x17). Note: board 6 is the closest equivalent to the old version's default board.
  • Blank tiles have been added (to keep this from making the game too easy, players now get 7 tiles instead of 8, and the bonus for playing all tiles at once has been reduced to 40 points).
  • You can now set a limit on the number of 'hints' you can use per game.
  • The vocabularly has been massively increased to 1.7 million words (previously, it was 730,000 words). The foreign language word lists in particular are much improved.
  • To help players with small screens (or poor eyesight), the board now zooms in automatically when you place a tile. You can drag then drag the board around or double-tap it to zoom back out again. Don't like this default behaviour? Just switch off 'Auto-Zoom' via the Options/Graphics menu.
  • You no longer have to save your game manually. Instead, your position is saved automatically whenever you exit, allowing you to resume later.
  • Banned and added words are now cleared at the end of each game (meaning you no longer have to manually edit them on a separate menu).
  • The main game screen has been de-cluttered. You can still get information about previous moves and tile totals - just click the score/tile display areas in the bottom left.
  • The Novice and Normal AI's have been made a little easier (the Expert and Master AI's are just as tough).
  • A few features have been removed for the time being (but may be re-introduced later): online play; 3 and 4 player games; Finnish and Norwegian; Extra Turn squares; time penalties; and 'Point Stealing' mode.
01 Jul 2008 Version 2.82 (Windows)
  • Fixed a problem preventing the saving of data, such as high scores, user vocab, option settings, saved games, etc. This was only affecting users running Windows Vista with User Account Control enabled.
21 Jun 2007 Version 2.81 (Windows)
  • Fixed a recent problem preventing connection to internet lobbies.
31 Jul 2006 Version 2.08 (Windows)
  • Fixed problem caused by new servers preventing connection to internet lobbies.
01 Jul 2005 Version 2.07 (Windows)
  • Fixed timing problem affecting some newer CPUs.
25 Jan 2005 Version 2.06 (Windows)
  • Fixed demo so it doesn't hang mid-game if trial period expires.
  • Updated ORT Software logo screen.
  • Updated documentation.
26 Nov 2004 Version 2.05 (Windows)
  • Modified help to display correctly under Mozilla Firefox.
27 Oct 2004 Version 2.04 (Windows)
  • Reduced price of Full Version.
  • Changed 10-use trial to 60-minute trial.
  • Removed Registration Code system from Full Version.
  • Made miscellaneous minor tweaks.
06 Oct 2004 Version 2.03 (Windows)
  • Added Microsoft Authenticode Certificate to verify integrity of installation program (only applicable to ORT Software distributions).
  • Updated documentation.
22 Apr 2004 Version 2.02 (Windows)
  • Made miscellaneous minor tweaks.
  • Reduced size of installation program.
  • Updated documentation.
04 Feb 2004 Version 2.01 (Windows)
  • Fixed bug preventing some games from being displayed on the CrossCraze servers (this fix was made on the servers, so users don't have to upgrade to benefit).
  • Host players are now prevented from accidentally starting single-player net games (if there's only one player, there's no need for a network).
  • Added time-out to stop program from hanging when disconnecting from a busy server.
  • Fixed bug affecting -SILENT switch. This bug may also have been responsible for problems with Alt-Tabbing reported by a small number of users.
  • Changes made to in-game instructions and HTML documentation.
05 Jan 2004 Version 2.00 (Windows)
  • Introduced LAN and internet play, including a centralized lobby where you can meet other players from around the world.
  • Added new Point Stealing option (use previously placed tiles to snatch points back from your opponents).
  • Introduced support for 9 foreign languages: Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish and Swedish.
  • Added over 5000 words to the English vocab.
  • Improved graphics and redesigned menus.
  • Introduced new stereo sound effects and music.
  • Strengthened the AI players.
  • Users can now ban words that have just been played by clicking UNDO.
  • Added default rack sorting: press F8 once to sort alphabetically; twice to sort by vowels and consonants; or three times to randomize.
  • Clicking a letter in the tile statistics panel now causes all corresponding tiles on the board to flash. This saves you having to search the whole board for a 'U' to match your 'Q'!
  • Clicking on the board causes the square's bonus value to be displayed - useful if you can't recall what the abbreviations stand for or if a square is covered by a tile.
  • Enhanced the in-game help and converted text file help to HTML.
  • Adjusted board layouts and tile scores/distributions to improve playability.
  • Added a 'Reset' button to clear high-scores.
  • CrossCraze now remembers all your player names, as well as the last board you used and the rules you selected, so you don't have to re-enter every time you run the program.
  • Moved various gameplay settings (language, penalties, etc) from the Options screen to the "Players & Rules" menu (this is more logical because in network games it is the host player that decides these settings).
  • Introduced logfile (CCLOG.TXT) to help diagnose any reported errors.
  • + 1001 other minor tweaks.
01 Nov 2000 Version 1.08 (Windows)
  • Updated ordering instructions.
12 Aug 2000 Version 1.07 (Windows)
  • If there is only one human playing, it is now possible to view your rack when it's not your turn even if you've switched off the "Show Opponents' Tiles" option.
  • Tweaked game to stop colour corruption caused by some wallpaper programs.
  • Updated documentation.
12 Apr 2000 Version 1.06 (Windows)
  • Changed address for German postal orders.
  • Fixed minor display bug in ORDER.EXE.
  • Adjusted timing on ORT title screen (it was running too fast on some newer computers).
23 Mar 2000 Version 1.05 (Windows)
  • Changes made to documentation.
  • Added restart button beneath high scores.
  • Installation program made smaller.
06 Feb 2000 Version 1.04 (Windows)
  • Changes made to documentation.
  • Made graphics routines more efficient and added Options menu switch to allow shading effects to be disabled (may help if you've noticed the game slowing down).
  • Made graphics routines more efficient and added Options menu switch to allow shading effects to be disabled (may help if you've noticed the game slowing down).
  • Added -SILENT command-line switch to allow disabling of sound effects (may help if you're unable to run the game because of sound-related error messages).
08 Jan 2000 Version 1.03 (Windows)
  • Changes made to documentation.
  • Graphics routines made more efficient (may help if you've noticed animations slowing down when racks are re-filled).
  • Fixed obscure dictionary bug related to the addition of new words to the User Vocab List (unlikely to have affected anyone, but better safe than sorry).
  • Made minor adjustments to the dictionary (a few obscure words were being played by the weaker AIs - they will now only be played by the Master AI).
  • Added -FRAMERATE command-line switch to allow control over animation speed.
17 Nov 1999 Version 1.02 (Windows)
  • Changes made to documentation.
28 Oct 1999 Version 1.01 (Windows)
  • Changes made to documentation.
25 Oct 1999 Version 1.00 (Windows)
  • First Release.